Trying to Escape from Drowning in Clutter

Start with the easy stuff

If there’s one massive thing I’ve learned in this dehoarding journey so far, it’s to start with the easy stuff.

When I have a torn cardboard box that I know will be of no use whatsoever, I don’t have much difficulty getting my head round why that has to go into the trash.

When I have an empty food wrapper, I have no difficulty getting my head round why that has to go into the trash.

But what’s interesting is that the more tricky items – perhaps things that are pretty but not especially useful, or things that I don’t like the look of but have some nostalgic element – are getting easier to deal with, the more of this I do.

So, if you’re feeling disheartened, if you feel that you’ll never be able to get rid of the really hard stuff because you really can’t deal with your 12 identical saucepans, don’t panic. Go easier. Find a piece of blatant trash and deal with that instead. Because the longer you do this for, the easier it will be to get rid of 10 of those 12 identical saucepans.

But don’t fret about that. In the meantime, just go with the things that do feel easy. The rest will come, in time.